blackwave. Releases ‘Villains’ After Singer’s Protest Arrest
Belgian hiphop duo blackwave. has released a new song titled ‘Villains’, following the administrative arrest of their singer Willem Ardui during a pro-Palestinian protest in Antwerp. The track, first presented on August 8, draws directly from Ardui’s months of participation in weekly Monday protests organized by the Antwerpse Coalitie voor Palestina (Antwerp Coalition for Palestine).
Context: The June 29 Arrest
Ardui, 28, was among 12 activists administratively arrested on June 29 during a protest at the Antwerp city hall (Grote Markt). The demonstration, which was not authorized by the city at that location, targeted the Israeli flag hanging at the city hall and Antwerp’s ties with Israel. The protest coincided with the monthly city council meeting, where members were voting on whether to remove the flag.
Among those arrested alongside Ardui was Groen-voorzitter Aimen Horch, the national chairman of Belgium’s Green party. Police spokesperson Kim Bastiaens said the protesters were on Kaasrui, which is not permitted, and were pushed back to Groenplaats. Horch, who was released the same night, criticized Mayor Els van Doesburg (N-VA), accusing her administration of “a system where they deal aggressively with peaceful protest.”
The Song: ‘Villains’
According to HLN, the song’s title reflects how people who speak out against inequality and injustice are labeled as ‘villains’ by the city government and police. The track includes a lyric about masked police putting activists in jail — “Police hiding their face while they put us in jail” — inspired by masked arrest units seen at earlier protests.
Ardui said the seed for the song was planted in January 2026, when he began attending monthly protests in Antwerp. “Protesters are portrayed as rioters, criminals and radicals,” he said.
The band previously stated: “The Antwerp city government locks up citizens who come out every week for human rights. This is not about us, it’s about Palestine and the right to protest.”
A History of Activism
blackwave., composed of Ardui and rapper Jean-Valéry Atohoun, has a documented history of using their platform for the Palestinian cause. In July 2025, they released a single in collaboration with Oxfam titled ‘Nothing left to lose’, which included a spoken statement about the genocide in Gaza rather than a traditional song.
The duo is known for funky hiphop with hits like ‘Elusive’ and ‘Bittersweet Baby’. They perform with a live band at festivals including Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop, and Lokerse Feesten, and have been nominated for MIA awards multiple times. Their last album ‘No sleep in LA’ (2022) briefly reached #1 on the Ultratop 200 chart, according to Wikipedia.
Broader Context: Antwerp’s Protest Movement
The Antwerpse Coalitie voor Palestina organizes weekly Monday protests targeting the Israeli flag, which is hung annually along with 93 other flags during the tourist high season — a tradition that has existed for 80 years. Since the start of the Gaza war, the flag has been a source of controversy.
The city has not authorized protests at the city hall location, directing protesters to the Steenplein instead. Tensions escalated in November 2025 when police used a water cannon and pepper spray against protesters, leading to three administrative arrests. The Comité P, Belgium’s police oversight body, received six complaints about that incident and launched an investigation.
What’s Next
The release of ‘Villains’ comes amid heightened attention on the group following the arrest. The song transforms a personal experience of arrest into a broader statement about the right to protest — a theme that resonates beyond the specific case in Antwerp.
As the debate over the Israeli flag and the right to protest continues in Antwerp, blackwave.’s new track adds a musical voice to an ongoing civic controversy. The band has signaled they will continue using their platform to speak out on the Palestinian cause and the right to peaceful demonstration.